Life of Merlin is in Late Medieval Books.
Vita Merlini, or The Life of Merlin, is a Latin poem in 1,529 hexameter lines written around the year 1150. It is believed to be by Geoffrey of Monmouth.
But after Merlin saw so many bands of men approaching,
At post quam tantas hominum merlinus adesse
He could not endure them.
Jnspexit turmas- nec eas perferre valeret
For he was seized by madness, and once again filled with fury,
Cepit enim furias- iterum que furore repletus
He longed to go to the forest and sought to withdraw in secret.
Ad nemus ire cupit furtim que recedere querit
Then Rodarchus ordered that he be held under guard,
Tunc precepit eum posito custode teneri
And that a lyre be played to soothe his madness.
Rodarchus- cithara que suos mulcere furores
Grieving, he stood before him and, with words and prayers,
Astabat que dolens uerbis que precantibus illum
Begged him to regain his reason and remain with him,
Orabat ratione frui- secum que manere
The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy
The Gesta Normannorum Ducum [The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy] is a landmark medieval chronicle tracing the rise and fall of the Norman dynasty from its early roots through the pivotal events surrounding the Norman Conquest of England. Originally penned in Latin by the monk William of Jumièges shortly before 1060 and later expanded at the behest of William the Conqueror, the work chronicles the deeds, politics, battles, and leadership of the Norman dukes, especially William’s own claim to the English throne. The narrative combines earlier historical sources with firsthand information and oral testimony to present an authoritative account of Normandy’s transformation from a Viking settlement into one of medieval Europe’s most powerful realms. William’s history emphasizes the legitimacy, military prowess, and governance of the Norman line, framing their expansion, including the conquest of England, as both divinely sanctioned and noble in purpose. Later chroniclers such as Orderic Vitalis and Robert of Torigni continued the history, extending the coverage into the 12th century, providing broader context on ducal rule and its impact. Today this classic work remains a foundational source for understanding Norman identity, medieval statesmanship, and the historical forces that reshaped England and Western Europe between 800AD and 1100AD.
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Neither to seek the forest nor to live in the manner of a wild beast.
Nec captare nemus- nec uiuere more ferino:
To wish to hold royal sceptres beneath the trees,
Velle sub arboribus dum regia sceptra tenere
And to exercise justice over fierce peoples.
Posset et in populos ius exercere feroces
Then he promises him that he will give him many great gifts.
Hinc promittit ei se plurima dona daturum.
And he orders to be brought forth garments, birds, and dogs,
Afferi que iubet uestes- uolucres que canes que
Swift quadrupeds, gold, and glittering gems,
Quadrupedes que citos- aurum- gemmas que micantes
Rodarchus displays each item to the prophet and offers them.
Singula pretendit uati rodarchus et offert
And he urges him to stay with him and abandon the forests.
Et monet ut maneat secum siluas que relinquet
But the prophet, answering, rejected such gifts.
Talia respondens spernebat munera vates
'Let the leaders who are troubled by poverty have these,
Jsta duces habeant sua quos confundit egestas
For they are not content with little, but seek the greatest things.
Nec sunt contenti modico- set maxima captant
To these, I prefer the forest and the broad oaks of Caledon,
Hiis nemus et patulas calidonis prefero quercus
And the lofty mountains with the green meadows below.
Et montes celsos- subtus virentia prata
Those things please me—these do not. Keep such treasures
Illa michi- non ista placent- tu talia tecum
The History of William Marshal was commissioned by his son shortly after William’s death in 1219 to celebrate the Marshal’s remarkable life; it is an authentic, contemporary voice. The manuscript was discovered in 1861 by French historian Paul Meyer. Meyer published the manuscript in its original Anglo-French in 1891 in two books. This book is a line by line translation of the first of Meyer’s books; lines 1-10152. Book 1 of the History begins in 1139 and ends in 1194. It describes the events of the Anarchy, the role of William’s father John, John’s marriages, William’s childhood, his role as a hostage at the siege of Newbury, his injury and imprisonment in Poitou where he met Eleanor of Aquitaine and his life as a knight errant. It continues with the accusation against him of an improper relationship with Margaret, wife of Henry the Young King, his exile, and return, the death of Henry the Young King, the rebellion of Richard, the future King Richard I, war with France, the death of King Henry II, and the capture of King Richard, and the rebellion of John, the future King John. It ends with the release of King Richard and the death of John Marshal.
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For yourself, King Rodarchus. My Caledonian
Rex rodarche feras- mea me calidonis habebit
Forest, rich in nuts, shall have me, which I prefer above all things.
Silua ferax nucibus- quam cunctis prefero rebus
At last, when no gift could keep the sorrowful man,
Denique cumnullo potuisset munere tristem
The king ordered him to be bound with a strong chain,
Rex retinere uirum- forti vincire cathena:
Lest, once freed, he seek the wilderness of the forests.
Jussit- ne peterit nemorum deserta solutus
Then, when the prophet felt the bonds around him
Ergo cum sensit circum se uincula vates
And could no longer freely go to the Caledonian woods,
Nec liber poterat siluas calidonis adire:
He immediately grieved, remained silent and sorrowful,
Protinus indoluit tristis que tacens que remansit
Withdrew all joy from his face,
Leticiamque suis subtraxit uultibus omnem
So that he neither spoke a word nor moved to smile.
Ut non proferret uerbum- risum que moueret